Cleveland Browns: Is Matt Ryan a trade deadline option?

Financials are the biggest roadblock to moving Ryan

Like most things in life, this comes down to money. Matt Ryan has three years remaining on his current deal, and his cap hits in those seasons are about $41 million, $41.6 million, and $36 million respectively. That’s clearly a lot of cash, but it’s doable. That would be about a $20 million increase in cap allocation at the QB position from what Mayfield currently makes.

This would likely mean the departure of Jarvis Landry, Sheldon Richardson, and Larry Ogunjobi. It would also make re-signing Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter unlikely. The Browns already have Tretter’s replacement, and Drew Forbes could potentially replace Bitonio if a starter is not found elsewhere.

The bigger issue is how to actually get Ryan from Atlanta to Cleveland. Ryan would leave the Falcons with a devastating $50 million dead cap hit if moved after the 2020 season, and while that number drops to $26.5 million the next year, that’s still a ton of cash to lose.

It’s unlikely the Browns will replace Mayfield before 2022, regardless of how he performs. If the Falcons commit to a full tank by that time, perhaps they’ll be willing to take on that cap hit if the Browns send a third-round draft pick their way. Or, perhaps Atlanta will be content to just let Ryan play out his contract.

There is a path to getting Matt Ryan to Cleveland, but it’s not an easy one. If it does happen, he’d provide a significant upgrade over Baker Mayfield, and would transform the Browns into actual Super Bowl contenders overnight.